Wire clamping device for loose-leaf binders



Feb. 10, 1942 K. GOODLOE WIRE CLAMPING DEVICE FOR LOOSE-LEAF BINDERS Filed May 7, 1941 3 Sheets-Sheet l W a wk Attorney Feb. 10, 1942. K. v. GOODLOE WIRE CLAMPING DEVICE FOR LOOSE-LEAF BINDERS Filed May '7, 1941 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 I mleulor Attorney Feb. 10, 1942. K. v. GOODLOE 2,272,339

WIRE CLAMPING DEVICE FOR LOOSE-LEAF. BINDERS Filed May '7, 1941 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Inventor 112 mm Kauai/06.

A t torney Patented Feb. 10, 1942 WIRE DEVICE FOR LOOSE-LEAF BINDERS 1 Kenneth V. Goodloe, Houston, Tex.; assignor to Clarke & Courts, Houston, Tex., a corporation Application May 7, 1941, Serial No. 392,392

4 Claims.

This invention relates to a device for closing the wire binder now generally employed in binding together loose leaves into booklet form, such as leaves of bank checks and the like.

An object of the present invention is to provide a device of this character that is characterized by simplicity of construction and operation, and by the provision of means whereby the pressure required for closing the binding strip may be adjusted as the size or diameter of the strip requires thereby precluding unnecessary crushing or flattening of the tubular binding strip.

The invention together with its objects and advantages will be best understood from a study of the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a front elevational view of a wire clamping device for loose leaf binders embodying the features of the present invention.

Figure 2 is a top plan View thereof.

Figure 3 is a detail sectional view taken substantially on the line 33 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary enlarged top plan view with the top and front and rear walls of the casing forming part of the invention removed.

Figure 5 is a detail sectional view taken substantially on the line 55 of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a side elevational view of the device.

Figure 7 is a perspective view of a sliding stop.

Figure 8 is a fragmentary detail sectional View illustrating the application of the invention.

Figure 9 is a fragmentary plan view of a wire binder strip, the same being shown open, and

Figure 10 is a view similar to Figure 9 but showing the strip closed after being operated upon with the device of this invention.

Referring more in detail to the drawings it will be seen that the device or machine for closing the Wire binding strips of a type such as suggested in Figures 9 and 10, in the preferred embodiment thereof comprises a broad flat tray or base member 5 that at one end is equipped with a housing or casing indicated generally by the reference numeral 6.

The housing or casing 6 embodies end walls I, 8 secured by screws or other fastening 'elements 9 to opposite edges of the tray 5, together with a front wall I0, top wall I l, and rea'rI'walli 2'.

The Walls II), II and I2 are preferably formed from a single blank of material and are removable with respect to the walls I, and 8 as a unit; the walls II], II and I2 being removably secured in position through the medium of screws or other fastening elements 13.

Mounted in the casing 6 adjacent the forward or front wall thereof is a bearing bar l i'that at its respective opposite ends terminates short of the'end walls I and 8.

The bar M has rising therefrom bearing standards I5 in which are journaled the opposite end portions of a rotatable shaft l6.

On the respective opposite ends of the shaft l6, and secured thereto to turn with the shaft are cams or eccentric discs I! that have the peripheries thereof in contact with a vertically shiftable pressure bar 18.

The barI8 is disposed forwardly of the bearing bar l4 and is constrained to move in'a vertical plane through the medium of guide pins I9 arrangedas shown. Normally the bar I 8 is urged upwardly through the medium of coil springs 20 disposed about the lower ends of the guidepins l9 and impinging on'the bottom edge of the pressure bar I8 as best shown'in Figure 3.

At the end 8 of the casing 6 an end of the shaft I6 extends outwardly of the casingand is equipped with a crank handle [6 to facilitate manual turning movement of the shaft and con-' sequent raising and lowering of the pressure bar 18.

Secured to the inner sides of the walls I and 3 of the casing 6, as at 2|, are guide members 22 that serve to guide and restrain a sliding movement of stop bars 23.

The bars 23 have the upper edges thereof at the forward ends of the bars stepped, as shown in'Figure 7, to provide for each bar a series of stops 24 progressively increasing in elevation or height inwardly from the terminus of the free end of the bar.

The stop bars '23 are projectable outwardly of the'housing or casing 6 to position selective stops '24 in the path of the pressure bar 18 so that the downward movement of the pressure bar will be limited to the extent desired, and as required by the'diameter of the binding strip '25 to effect a closing of such strip,

For projecting and retracting the stop bars 23 thereis rotatably supported by the walls I and 8 of the housing or casing 6 a shaft 26 that at the end thereof extending through the wall I is equipped with an integral crank or handle 21 to facilitate manual rotation of the shaft 26.

Inward of the housing or casing .6 the shaft 26 is provided with levers 28 that at their free ends are provided with lateral'extensions 29 that are accommodated in vertical slots 30 provided in the rear or. inner ends of the stop bars 23. It

will thus be seen that by rocking the handle 2'! shaft 26 will be rotated in the desired direction to project or retract the stop bars 23 as found desirable.

To facilitate positioning of the stop bars 23 for bringing the selected stops 24 in the path of the pressure bar 18 there is secured on the top of the housing 6 adjacent the side I thereof a plate 3! that is secured through the medium of the fastening elements I3 hereinbefore referred to, and as shown in Figure 2.

The plate 3| has an edge thereof projecting laterally beyond the wall 1 of the casing or housing 6, and said edge is notched, as at 32, to coact with the handle 21 of shaft 26 for securing the shaft 26 at the desired position of rotative adjustment, and consequently the bars 23 at the desired projected or retracted position of adjustment.

It will also be appreciated that the top side of the plate 3| may have calibrations and other indicia thereon to enable one to obtain required information for the proper setting of the stops 23 and the amount of pressure which should be applied to the binding strip 25 for closing the strip, and as the diameter of the strip may dictate.

The use of the device is believed to be clear to those skilled in the art, but may be briefly explained as follows:

As shown in Figure 8 a book 33 of loose leaves 34 first has properly engaged therewith the wire binding strip 25. In this connection it will be noted that the strip 25 is of the type now generally employed, and that these strips are formed generally from a single length of wire worked as shown to provide a substantially tubular or cylindrical structure embodying parts that are passed through the aligned openings in the leaves 34 and in the covers of the book, after which pressure is applied to the strip for closing the strip completing the binding of the leaves together.

The book with the binding strip thus applied but prior to the closing of the strip is placed on the tray 5 with the bound end of the book positioned under the raised pressure bar l8 with the open side of the binder strip 25 disposed upwardly as shown in said Figure 8.

With the parts then in a position shown in Figure 8 the operator by grasping the handle 21 rotates the shaft 26 in a proper direction to project the stop bars 23 outwardly so that the proper stops 24 will be placed in vertical alignment with the pressure bar l8. As before stated this adjustment of the stop bars 23 will be regulated by the diameter of the binding strip 25. In this connection it will be appreciated that these strips come in various diameters and are for use in accordance with the number of leaves to be bound together.

With the stop bars 23 in set position the operator then grasps the handle Ilia, to turn the shaft 16. This results in pressure being applied by the eccentrics or cams I! to the pressure bar l8 causing the latter to move downwardly into engagement with the binding strip 25 causing the latter to be contracted to closed condition; the downward movement of the pressure bar l8 being limited by contact thereof with the properly positioned stops 24.

Thus it will be seen that a closing of the binding strip may be quickly and readily accomplished and that the device can be used without requiring a great deal of skill, the stop bars 23 being suitable provision against too great a pressure being applied as might result in a rupturing or otherwise poor closing of the binder strip.

After the strip has been closed in the manner as just stated the shaft I6 is rotated in a reverse direction and the pressure bar l8 then returns to its raised position in response to the expansive action of the springs l9.

The bound book may then be removed from the device and is ready for use.

It is thought that the many advantages of a device of this character will be had by those skilled in the art without further detailed description.

It is also to be understood that while I have herein illustrated and described the preferred embodiment of the invention, minor changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention as herein illustrated, described and claimed.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. In a device for closing loose leaf binder strips of the wire-tubular type, a pair of opposed spaced apart guide members, a pressure bar supported by said guide members and movable vertically thereon, a shaft rotatably supported above said pressure bar, supporting means for said shaft, and cam elements on said shaft and engageable with the pressure bar for moving the latter downwardly incidental to rotation of said shaft and into engagement with the binder strip placed therebeneath for effecting a closing of such strip, stop members movable into and out of the path of the descending pressure bar for limiting downward movement of said bar, said stop members being respectively provided with a series of stop shoulders receding inwardly from one end of the stop member and progressively increasing in elevation in the direction of such recession.

2. In a device of the character described, a tray adapted to receive thereon a book of loose leaves with a tubular binding strip associated therewith and in open position, guide members rising from said tray adjacent one end thereof, a pressure bar supported by said guide members for movement in a plane perpendicular to said tray and for engagement with the binding strip when placed therebeneath for applying pressure to said strip to effect a closing of the strip, manually manipulative means mounted at said end of the tray and operatively associated with said pressure bar for applying pressure to the bar to cause the same to move downwardly and into pressure exerting engagement with the binder strip, stop bars slidably positioned on said tray adjacent opposite ends of said pressure bar and movable in a direction laterally with respect to the pressure bar into and out of the path of said pressure bar for limiting downward movement of the pressure bar, and manually manipulative means operatively connected with said stop bars for pro jecting and retracting said bars and for securing said bars at the desired position of adjustment.

3. In a device of the character described, a tray adapted to receive thereon a book of loose leaves with a tubular binding strip associated therewith and in open position, guide members rising from said tray adjacent one end thereof, a pressure bar supported by said guide members for movement in a plane perpendicular to said tray and for engagement with the binding strip when placed therebeneath for applying pressure to said strip to effect a closing of the strip,

manually manipulative means mounted at said end of the tray and operatively associated with said pressure bar for applying pressure to the bar to cause the same to move downwardly and into pressure exerting engagement with the binder strip, stopbars slidably positioned on said tray adjacent opposite ends of said pressure bar and movable in a direction laterally with respect to the pressure bar into and out of the path of said pressure bar for limiting downward movement of the pressure bar, and manually manipulative means operatively connected with said stop bars for projecting and retracting said bars and for securing said bars at the desired position of adjustment, said stop bars respectively having a stepped upper edge providing therefor a series of stops to be selectively positioned in the path of said pressure bar.

4. In a device for uniting loose leaves with a binding strip, and of the character embodying a 

